I like to write about random things. That's how my mind works. Mostly useless information, but something poignant every now and again.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Cheerleader for Humanity

I'm trying really hard to write
something every day. Actually, I write a lot more than I post here on my blog.
I have so much I want to say about a number of things. Most of it's not that
important, just things that are meant to be positive or inspiring in some
way.

I used to be in an all-girl band back in Texas. We had a great
following! I was such a cheerleader that the girls once got me a t-shirt that
said, "I'm just one big f@#!ing ray of sunshine!" I resembled that
remark. I was never a cheerleader in school, but I suppose I am a cheerleader
for humanity.

I grew up in one of the most amazing places in the world. Some of
you may disagree, but I value my upbringing in Eastern Kentucky. I was an only
child. I had to be creative and I had to be strong. I didn't have siblings to
fight with, bond with, share clothes with or to stick up for me if someone gave
me a hard time at school. I was on my own. I invented games and acted out plays
in my backyard. I sang for the mountains and wrote a new Grammy acceptance
speech as often as I would remember someone else to thank.

Growing up in a place where
family is everything and helping people is just a way of life helped shape the
woman I am today. Most folks were hard-working, God-fearing, genuine people who
just wanted to make a good life for their kids and their community. Out here in
this big, crazy world in real-time, I don’t see very much of that anymore. I
know it occurs in pockets, but as a whole I see a very self-absorbed and
selfish society that can’t put down their phones long enough to have a
face-to-face conversation. I’m guilty of that myself some days, but I’m trying
to be more conscious of what I’m doing. I want to draw others in rather than
push them away by being too wrapped up in whatever electronic device I’m
holding at the time.

As an artist, I take on a lot of
the world’s pain. I suppose it’s because I create music (which is what feelings
sound like) and write about what I observe. I write what I feel and not to feel
what’s going on in the world is to not be aware. Extreme consciousness.

I think if we all got on the
cheerleader bandwagon and headed on down to Positivityville, we could really
make a difference. Am I alone in this thinking? Have we gotten so cynical that
we don’t think it’s worth the effort? We’re not too far gone, are we?

I really hope for our future that
people we circle back to days gone by and instead of trying to automate life in
the name of progress and trends, they stop and take notice that there is no
substitute for human interaction. There is no substitute for that conversation
you could be having with a 95 year old who has seen everything from the first
television to automobile autopilot technology. We have so much to learn from
the past. History books have changed. Important information about our history
is not being taught. Education has become more focused on test scores and
funding and less about creativity and individuality. One size no longer fits
all with education in today’s world, so why do schools continue to cookie cut the
curriculum? I know people right now who cannot boil water but can write a
sophisticated computer program. We explain life skills with CliffsNotes and then
act surprised when people get in a pickle by not having the basic information
to be successful as a human being.

How can we use shortcuts and
expect our future generations to take care of our land, our country and our
future? Will they respect elders like we were taught to growing up? Or will
they continue to diminish their importance in society with continued reductions
in healthcare and housing options for fixed-income seniors? Will they choose to
protect our land or sell it off in the name of progress and greed, regardless
of the long-term effects on the environment? Will we see more pollution in our
oceans? More dumping of chemicals? More oil spills?

I really haven’t become a
tree-hugging hippie, but I do know the value of our parks and our planet. And I
honestly believe that most kids today do not know that the health of the ocean
is essential to human survival. How can we change? What are our takeaways from
the things we’ve learned thus far about the new generations?

I certainly don’t have all the
answers, but I know I can do my part by being a friend, neighbor and a good
citizen. If I see my neighbor’s kids doing something dangerous, I’m not going
to just stand there and watch them break their heads open. I’m going to step in
and help. If I see a horrific incident, I’m not going to be filming it with my
iPhone. I’m going to stop and help. If I see someone in need, I’m going to
offer a hand. It’s not that hard to get back to doing human things. It’s not
that hard to open up your heart and care about something besides yourself.

Be a good human. Be a
cheerleader. Be whatever it takes to make our world a little brighter, a little
better. We won’t be here forever but we can change the course of our future by
taking action now.

About Me

I like to cook. I like to make things with my hands. I like to see progress. It makes me happy. I'm not sure what makes me uniquely qualified to write about anything, really. I just write about things that interest me.